With the 4th of July around the corner, fireworks play a major role in our celebrations. As much of a thrill fireworks can bring, they can also deal a great amount of pain if not handled properly.

Each year thousands of people, mostly children and teens, are injured while using consumer and illegal fireworks. Despite the dangers of fireworks few people tend to ignore the risk.

In 2011 fireworks caused an estimated 17,8000 reported fires. These fires resulted in about $32 million in direct property damage. On the 4th of July, fireworks account for 2 out of 5 of all reported fires, more than any other cause of fire.

Here are some facts about the dangers of fireworks, along with some safety tips!